# The Score Card: From Chicago to London

**Source:** Kineticist  
**Type:** article  
**Published:** 2025-10-08  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://www.kineticist.com/post/the-score-card-from-chicago-to-london

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## Analysis

A competitive pinball recap covering three major September 2025 events: PAPA World Championship in Illinois (won by Zach McCarthy), Cleveland Pinball and Arcade Show (won by Jack Slovacek), and UK Pinball Open in London (won by Alexandre Bouet). The article emphasizes the intensity of the competitive season, notes the shift toward card-based qualifying formats, and previews upcoming fall tournaments including Pinball Expo.

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] PAPA World Championship 2025 raised over $60,000 for the 988 Foundation for Suicide Awareness — _Official tournament reporting; proceeds explicitly mentioned_
- [MEDIUM] Card-based qualifying format has grown in popularity and is quickly replacing Herb-style 'pump and dump' format — _Author observation across multiple tournaments; stated as trend but not independently verified_
- [HIGH] UK Pinball Open used Match Play for card qualifying instead of the usual NeverDrains software — _Specific technical detail about tournament format; clearly stated_
- [HIGH] Cleveland Pinball and Arcade Show was the 10th annual iteration — _Explicitly stated in event description_
- [HIGH] Zach McCarthy won his second IFPA Major victory of the year at PAPA 2025 — _Clear tournament result reporting_

### Notable Quotes

> "Really, there's no slowing down until the new year for players making their push to the IFPA State Championships and beyond, making this a do-or-die slice of the season."
> — **Author (Kineticist)**, Opening section
> _Sets tone for urgency of fall competitive season_

> "What followed was an extremely impressive display of adaptability, flipper skill, and keeping calm under pressure, as these four top-tier competitors battled for a shot at a Major victory."
> — **Author**, PAPA finals description
> _Characterizes quality of top-level play at Major tournaments_

> "Yet, four players fought their way through to the grand final, all well within reach of victory: Timber Engelbeen, Roy Wils, Nic Stein, and Alexandre Bouet."
> — **Author**, UK Open section
> _Highlights competitive depth and upset potential at international event_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Zach McCarthy (Zmac) | person | Elite competitive pinball player; won PAPA World Championship 2025 (second Major victory of year) |
| Jack Slovacek | person | Competitive player from California; won CLEPin 2025 Main A Division; top-3 seeded at UK Pinball Open but eliminated in semi-finals |
| Escher Lefkoff | person | Top-tier competitive player; finalist at PAPA 2025; plays strong on classic machines |
| Alexandre Bouet | person | French competitive player; won UK Pinball Open Main A Division 2025 |
| Samantha Bacon | person | Defending Women's Royal Rumble champion at CLEPin 2025; won with 800M+ points on Star Wars |
| Arvid Flygare | person | Elite international competitive player; top-3 seeded at UK Pinball Open but eliminated in semi-finals |
| Timber Engelbeen | person | Strong international competitive player; finalist at UK Pinball Open; second place overall |
| PAPA World Championship 2025 | event | Major IFPA tournament held at Enterrium in Schaumburg, IL; featured 240+ players across four divisions; honored late Lyman Sheats; part of Stern Pro Circuit |
| Cleveland Pinball and Arcade Show (CLEPin 2025) | event | 10th annual Midwest pinball convention; 110+ players in main SPC tournament; featured Women's Royal Rumble, Classics, and side tournaments |
| UK Pinball Open | event | International pinball competition in Croydon, London; nearly 200 players; part of Stern Pro Circuit since 2023; offers European Championship Series qualifying |
| Stern Pro Circuit (SPC) | organization | Competitive pinball circuit for IFPA; Finals held mid-October; includes PAPA, CLEPin, UK Open, and other Majors |
| IFPA (International Flipper Pinball Association) | organization | Governing body for competitive pinball; manages WPPR rankings and State Championships calendar |
| Pinball Expo | event | World-renowned pinball show in Schaumburg, Illinois; October 15-18, 2025; features 'Expo flipOUT!' tournament and large show floor |
| Fox Cities Pinball | organization | Pinball streaming organization; provided live Twitch coverage of PAPA and Pinball Expo |
| BackhandPinball | organization | Pinball streaming organization; provided live Twitch coverage of UK Pinball Open qualifying and playoffs |
| Arcade Legacy | organization | Streaming coverage organization; provided Twitch coverage of CLEPin 2025 competitions |
| Gregory Kennedy | person | Competitive player; PAPA 2025 finalist; strong Xenon player |
| Raymond Davidson | person | Competitive player; PAPA 2025 finalist |
| Galvin Morgan | person | Competitive player; CLEPin 2025 grand finals competitor; strong on Beatles |
| Kim Martinez | person | Tournament organizer; organizes Women's Royal Rumble at CLEPin |
| Kineticist | person | Article author; competitive pinball player; qualified 24th at CLEPin 2025; covers competitive pinball for media |

### Topics

- **Primary:** Competitive tournament formats and qualifying systems, Major IFPA tournaments and Stern Pro Circuit, International competitive pinball expansion
- **Secondary:** Women's competitive pinball (Royal Rumble, Women's divisions), Tournament streaming and media coverage, Seasonal competitive calendar and WPPR farming
- **Mentioned:** Fall/winter tournament schedule intensity

### Sentiment

**Positive** (0.85) — Enthusiastic coverage of competitive events; celebrates player skill, tournament organization, and community engagement; no criticism or negative sentiment toward competitions, players, or manufacturers

### Signals

- **[community_signal]** Strong international competitive pinball participation and growth, with UK Pinball Open drawing nearly 200 players and serving as established Stern Pro Circuit venue since 2023 (confidence: high) — UK Pinball Open was 'one of the newer additions to the Stern Pro Circuit, added in 2023, and has built up a solid reputation for international competition' with nearly 200 players qualifying
- **[competitive_signal]** Card-based qualifying format rapidly replacing Herb-style 'pump and dump' format as standard tournament structure across Major events (confidence: medium) — 'a format we've seen only grow in recent months, quickly replacing the Herb-style "pump and dump" format of years past'; used at PAPA, CLEPin, and UK Open
- **[event_signal]** Pinball Expo (October 15-18, 2025) positioned as major upcoming tournament and show event with expected significant competitive participation and media coverage (confidence: high) — Explicitly mentioned as 'world-renowned Pinball Expo' with 'Expo flipOUT!' tournament and confirmed Twitch coverage via Fox Cities Pinball
- **[community_signal]** Tournament streaming has become standard professional coverage for major pinball events, with dedicated organizations (Fox Cities, BackhandPinball, Arcade Legacy) providing live Twitch broadcast of qualifying and finals (confidence: high) — Multiple tournament venues explicitly noting streaming partners and continuous coverage; Fox Cities described as 'continue to offer some of the very best live pinball action around'
- **[technology_signal]** UK Pinball Open experimented with Match Play software for card qualifying instead of standard NeverDrains, suggesting continued platform evaluation and potential adoption (confidence: medium) — 'The UK Pinball Open used Match Play for card qualifying instead of the usual NeverDrains software, putting the new feature through its paces and to good use'

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## Transcript

Now that we're firmly situated in the back half of the year, competitive pinball is getting much more intense as the schedule ramps back up. After a nice little break in August, players got right back into the swing of things in September with another Major, a staple convention in the pinball scene, and a trip overseas to one of the UK's biggest competitions. Things show no sign of slowing down either, as the weeks ahead are just as packed. Really, there's no slowing down until the new year for players making their push to the IFPA State Championships and beyond, making this a do-or-die slice of the season.
On this edition of The Score Card, we're looking back at three standout events of September, where players pushed their flipping to the limit in pursuit of big WPPRs and Stern Pro Circuit points. First, we head to Illinois for the return of PAPA, then a quick trip east for the Cleveland Pinball and Arcade show, before wrapping things up with the UK Pinball Open. For those dedicated to the Stern Pro Circuit or WPPR farming in general, September was home to countless crazy moments, amping up the 2025 season of competitive pinball to the next level.
PAPA World Championship 2025
Making its return for the second year, the new iteration of the iconic Professional & Amateur Pinball Association World Championship was held at Enterrium in Schaumburg, IL, in early September. This was the last of the five IFPA “Major” tournaments of the year and part of the Stern Pro Circuit, making it a crucial competition before the end of 2025. Honoring the late Lyman F. Sheats Jr., proceeds from the event went toward the 988 Foundation for Suicide Awareness, raising over $60,000 in the process. In total, over 240 players competed across four tournaments, including the main Stern Pro Circuit event, along with Classics, Women's, and a Youth competition. Main qualifying operated on a card system, a format we've seen only grow in recent months, quickly replacing the Herb-style “pump and dump” format of years past. With 5 games per card and a bank of over 25 titles, ranging from new Sterns like John Wick and Uncanny X-Men to classics like Xenon and Space Invaders, 72 players fought their way into the A Division finals.
After fighting through five rounds of playoffs, four familiar finalists emerged: Zach “Zmac” McCarthy, Gregory Kennedy, Escher Lefkoff, and Raymond Davidson. With Zmac in the driver's seat, three arenas were selected for the grand finals: an eclectic mix containing King Kong: The Myth of Terror Island, Xenon, and Banzai Run. What followed was an extremely impressive display of adaptability, flipper skill, and keeping calm under pressure, as these four top-tier competitors battled for a shot at a Major victory. All of the action was streamed on Twitch by Fox Cities Pinball, who continue to offer some of the very best live pinball action around.
In Game 1 on Kong, Escher tore off at the start with 240 million points, while the other three competitors barely got in a flip. However, the script was flipped on ball 2, as Zmac locked in and scored over 1.8 billion points, more than enough to grab the victory after a ball 3 walk-off. Moving to Xenon, most players employed the same strategy of starting multiball and ripping the spinner, showing off calculated shatz passes and precise nudging. While Zmac struggled a bit, ultimately picking up third place for the match, Greg Kennedy had a solid performance, picking up first place with over 1 million points.
Moving into the final game, Greg and Zmac were tied at 5 points apiece while Escher trailed close at 4 points, but Raymond was left without a path to victory. It all came down to a harrowing match of Banzai Run, where everyone opted to stay in the top playfield, grinding out points with some slick motocross tricks. Still, Zmac made a huge statement on ball 1, scoring over 9 million points as his opponents trailed far behind. As Greg struggled to work the game to his liking, Escher piled on enough points to clinch second place, but Zmac's score held strong. In the end, Zach McCarthy walked away with his second IFPA Major victory of the year, yet again proving his immense pinball prowess.
PAPA 2025 Winners:
- PAPA World Champion – Zach McCarthy (Conifer, CO)
- Main B Division – Matt Larsen (Virginia)
- Classics – Eric Stone (Fort Myers, FL)
- Women's – Keri Wing (St. Louis, MO)
Cleveland Pinball and Arcade Show
This year marked the 10th annual Cleveland Pinball and Arcade Show, one of the premier pinball conventions in the Midwest and a long staple of the Stern Pro Circuit. Never one to miss such a great event in my own backyard, I hurried over to the show floor, indulging in a variety of competitions. In addition to the main Stern Pro Circuit tournament, CLEPin 2025 also offered Herb-style Classics and an excellent selection of side tournaments, as well as the always-intense Women's Royal Rumble. Arcade Legacy came in clutch throughout the weekend, streaming as many of the show's competitions as possible, all live on Twitch.
Women's Royal Rumble
Organized by Kim Martinez, the 2025 Women's Royal Rumble had another excellent turnout, with 60 talented players vying for their shot at the championship belt. Qualifying consisted of 5 hours of Match Play, and after 12 rounds of flipping, the top 16 competitors gathered for a ladder-style finals. Here, four players face off in one match, with the lowest-scoring player eliminated and then replaced by the next highest-seeded qualifier in the next round.
By Round 13, the competition had whittled down to the final four, but Liz Freeman was knocked out on Iron Maiden: Legacy of the Beast, leaving only 3. After a speedy game of Quicksilver, which knocked out Xan Sprouse, it was down to two players and one machine: Samantha Bacon and Nicole Turk on Stern's Star Wars. Crushing ball 2 and scoring over 800 million points, Samantha Bacon nabbed the win with a walk-off ball 3, defending her title as the CLEPin Women's Royal Rumble Champ.
CLEPin Stern Pro Circuit Main Tournament
Meanwhile, the main Stern Pro Circuit competition drew in over 110 players (myself included), for card-based qualifying on a great bank of games. This year was tougher than usual, as only the top 24 players made A Division, instead of the usual 40. Though I managed to squeak by at the last minute and qualified in 24th place, the field of competition was exceptionally tough, ending my tournament after just one round of playoffs.
However, several others fared far better, and after quarterfinals and semi-finals wrapped, four players faced off in a 3-game grand final. This included Jack Slovacek, Galvin Morgan, Jesse Baker, and Evan Bookbinder, all excellent players with the talent to put up massive scores and take home the win. Fresh off a top-four finish in the Classics tournament the day prior, Jack was warmed up and ready to go, as he blew past his opponents in Game 1 of Foo Fighters, picking up 1 billion points, while Jesse trailed with 670 million. Moving into Game 2, The Beatles, scores got exceptionally close, as players struggled to get a hold of the squirrely machine. While Jack and Jesse both broke past 2 million points, Galvin took first place with 3 million, while Evan sat in fourth.
Mirroring PAPA's finals, Jack and Galvin were tied at 5 points total while Jesse was close behind with 4, leaving everything down to the final game of Metallica Remastered. On ball 1, everyone struggled, leaving the door wide open for anyone to succeed. Jack made some headway on ball 2, starting a Crank it Up mode and several multiballs, but everyone else continued to run into problems. As Jack ended his ball 3 with 180 million, Galvin knew his target, but came up short with 110 million, ultimately handing Jack the tournament win.
CLEPin 2025 Winners:
- Main A Division – Jack Slovacek (California)
- Main B Division – Michael Bair (North Canton, OH)
- Classics – Steven Bowden (Palatine, IL)
- Women's Royal Rumble – Samantha Bacon (Wake Forest, NC)
UK Pinball Open
For the final big competition in September, players from around the world flocked to Croydon, London, to compete in The UK Pinball Open. Once held at the Pinball Republic, the UK Open has expanded in recent years, offering more play space and five unique tournaments across the weekend. This is also one of the newer additions to the Stern Pro Circuit, added in 2023, and has built up a solid reputation for international competition. Qualifying for all tournaments was card-based, with 5 games per card leading to PAPA-style finals, on a bank of over 20 games. The bank was exceptionally diverse, too, containing lesser-seen moderns like Evil Dead and Cactus Canyon LE, along with '90s favorites like World Cup Soccer and Attack from Mars. Interestingly, the UK Pinball Open used Match Play for card qualifying instead of the usual NeverDrains software, putting the new feature through its paces and to good use.
Of course, the big tournament of the weekend was the eponymous UK Pinball Open, which offered Stern Pro Circuit and European Championship Series qualifying points, as well as traditional WPPRs. Nearly 200 players showed up to submit their card, with the top 40 making the cut into the A Division finals, competing in 3-game playoff rounds. Offering fantastic coverage as usual, BackhandPinball was there to stream all the qualifying and playoffs live on Twitch, providing nonstop action the entire weekend. The early rounds of playoffs contained quite a few upsets, as all top three seeded players, Jack Slovacek, Arvid Flygare, and Yuen Aw, were knocked out by the end of the semi-finals. Yet, four players fought their way through to the grand final, all well within reach of victory: Timber Engelbeen, Roy Wils, Nic Stein, and Alexandre Bouet.
In Game 1 on Jack Bot, everyone struggled out of the gate and had little to show after ball 1, as the drains were plentiful and outlane heavy. Fortunately, Alexandre dug in on ball 2 for a heck of a run, scoring over 3.5 billion points, with Timber next closest at 875 million points. Game 2 on Jaws was a similar story, though Alexandre got his start a ball early, picking up nearly 600 million points on the first ball. Though ball 2 passed without a change in positions, Timber refused to keel over, putting up nearly 1 billion points and putting the pressure back on his opponents. While Roy and Nick missed out on any major points, Alexandre dug deep for his chance to secure the victory with back-to-back wins, but ended up falling short of Timber's colossal score.
Going into Game 3 on Surf 'n Safari, Timber and Alexandre were tied at 6 total points, while Nic and Roy only had hopes of placing second or third overall. Still, this was a machine that all competitors were comfortable with, as the strategy mostly consisted of hitting the right ramp and surviving feeds from the pop bumpers. On ball 1, Roy and Nic got off to a good start with some multiball play, but Timber and Alexandre both fumbled after a handful of flips. After Ball 2, Nic held the lead with 22 million, but the tournament victory came down to Timber and Alexandre. Ending his ball 3 with 13 million points, Alexandre needed just 8 million to claim the overall win. Though his multiball went sideways, he held on long enough to squeak out a few right ramps, toppling Timber's score and becoming the UK Open champion in one fell swoop.
UK Pinball Open Winners:
- Main A Division – Alexandre Bouet (France)
- Main B Division – George Bennett (Bishop's Stortford, Robert Englunds)
- Classics - Nic Stein (Davis, CA)
- PRC Champion – Viggo Löwgren (Furlund, Sweden)
- Women's – Lucy Vince (United Kingdom)
Upcoming IFPA Events
Although there are only 3 months left in the year, there's still lots of competitive pinball left, beckoning any interested players to flip and have fun. Things are slowing down for the Stern Pro Circuit qualifying events, as the SPC Finals are being held in mid-October, finally wrapping up last year's season. That same week, from October 15 to 18, the world-renowned Pinball Expo will be taking place in Schaumburg, Illinois, where players can compete in the fantastic “Expo flipOUT!” tournament in addition to perusing the massive show floor. If you're unable to make the trip, you can catch all the exciting tournament action on Twitch, thanks to Fox Cities Pinball.
These autumn and early winter months are also a great time to jump into competitive pinball, as players begin to seriously grind WPPRs in anticipation of IFPA State Championships and the tournament schedule quickly fills up. You can find local tournaments by checking out the IFPA Calendar, or if you're only interested in large tournaments promising hefty WPPRS, the IFPA Certified Tournaments Calendar is where you'll want to look. For a bit more social competition, you can also look for local pinball leagues by checking this list of IFPA-approved leagues. For now, we've got our sights set on all the hustle and bustle of Pinball Expo, and we'll have all of the juicy details for you soon. Until then, flip hard and have fun!

_(Acquisition: web_scrape, Enrichment: v1)_

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: c60a2892-792b-4942-9c86-9e11fc50fe94*